Safety-catch for elevators.



PATBNTED JAN. so, 1906.'

A. FLBSHER. SAFETY CATCH FOR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1906.

23% Means n mw ANDREW FLESHER, OF TAYLORVILLE, ILLINOIS.

SAFETY-CATCH FOR ELEVATORS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed September 21, 1905. Serial No. 279,476.

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW FLESHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taylorville, in the county of Christian and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety-Catches for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements relating to safetycatches for elevators, and particularly to elevator-cages which are employed in apparatus for loading and unloading materials in bulk, such as coal and ore, and when the cage is used for removing mined products in large quantities and depositing the same at some appropriate point aboveground. Cages of the character described are not structed for the reception of charges of coal and ore or other material, but are made to accommodate the miners and persons Whose duties require them to enter and leave the mine.

The present invention comprehends the addition to cages of the class described and to cages of a like kind of a mechanism which will insure the safety of persons who may be in the cage and where the breaking of the hoisting-cable and the consequent rapid descent of the cage would otherwise endanger the lives and limbs of the occupants thereof.

My invention consists of the parts and the constructions and combinations of parts, which I will hereinafter describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 represents a portion of a well or curbing of a mine-shaft, showing one of my improved cages therein. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of my cages, showing the safetycatches, Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of one of the safety-catches detached. Fig. 4 is a modification to be referred to.

In carrying out my invention I construct the shaft of the mine with a suitable curbing A, made of planking of such dimensions and construction and having such bracing as may be desired, said curbing being supplied with suitable vertical guides B for directing the cage in its ascent and descent. The cage is preferably composed of boiler-iron of suitable thickness of such vertical height as may be required for the load it is to carry. For example, I may construct the cage to carry about ten (10) tons to the load, and also proonly convide space for persons entering or leaving the mine. For such a ten ton-capacity cage the vertical height of the cage will be approximately sixteen and one-half (16%) feet, of which about ten (10) feet is used. for storing the coal or ore, while the remaining length is used to accommodate the men. The bottom of the coal-compartment is inclined toward one side, as shown at a, and the top of this compartment is formed of a horizontal rigid member 6 and a horizontal door 0, controlling the entrance to the coal-compartment, said door when closed resting upon a suitable stop d, and said door and member 12 forming a platform upon which the men stand when entering and. leaving the mine. As shown, the portion of the cage above the platform is open; but the corner-posts e of the cage extend above the platform and appropriately support a roof f, which is designed to protect the men from the danger attending the falling of material from above. The roof also furnishes means of attachment for the chains 9, to which the hoisting-cable 7b is attached. The cage is also constructed with a dumpingdoor Z, which is normally secured by a latch m, there being in practice one of these catches on each side of the cage. On two opposite sides the cage is also provided with channeled guides or shoes or, which slidably fit the vertical guides of the shaft-curbing. 011 the two other sides of the cageI locate the safetycatch arrangement, which I will now describe, this disposition of the catches being preferred, because it is my intention to have these catches directly engage the shaft-curbing rather than the guides upon which the cage slides. Upon each side of the c'agesay near the level of the platform or top of the coal compartmentI journal in. suitable the bearings a horizontal shaft, which extends full width of the cage.

On each of the shafts 10 is mounted a wing or plate 14, with a long bearing turnable on the shaft, said wing having its outer edge serrated or provided with catch-points adapted to catch. in the curbing of the shaft. These wings extend approximately the full width of the cage, so as to provide a maximum catching-surface for retaining the cage with its ten (10) or fifteen. (15) ton weight in the event of accident. The points on the wings may be as many as six or eight or more, and in practice are about three and one-half (3%) inches long and of sufficient strength to sustain the Weight of a loaded cage. Each wing is provided with a crank-arm 11, which extends out from one end out of frictional contact with the side of the cage, said crank-arms having eyes for the attachment of chains 12, which lead to clevises 13, suspended from the hoisting-cable. The barrel of each wing is cut away at its center to admit a spring 15, which is coiled upon the shaft and has one end extended and bearing against the side of the cage and another end extended beneath the wing, said spring serving to project the wing into contact with the wood curbmg of the shaft whenever the hoisting-cable is slackened for any purpose; but when the hoisting-cable is under tension, as when the cage is ascending or descending, the pull upon the chains 12 will cause the cranks to fold the wings inwardly and downwardly against the side of the cage. As before mentioned, the safety-catch is constructed and built on two opposite sides of the cage, and they extend the full width of said cage, and they are designed to catch into the sides of the curbing, which are at right angles to the vertical guides on which the cage travels. When thrown outward by the spring, the wings will stand at a downward inclination of ab out forty-five (45) degrees, and they are prevented from assuming a horizontal position by some suitable stop, as by the end portions of their edges contacting with the corner-posts of the cage. Under normal conditions the wings lie vertical and close to the sides of the cage; but in the event of breakageof the hoisting devices or the disruption of the hauling-cable the wings are thrown outward and their points embed themselves sufiiciently deep into the planking of the shaft-curbing to safely sustain the combined weight of the cage and its contents.

The safety devices are always ready for action whenever the cage is in operation. When the cage lands at the bottom of the shaft, there occurs some slacking of the haulingcable and the springs throw out the wings; but when the cage is ready for ascent and the hauling-cable is put under tension the wings are folded close to the cage. The same ac tion occurs at the top of the shaft, and in all instances when the cage is in motion and the hauling-rope is taut the wings are out of the way and cannot engage the shaft-curbing.

Instead of plates or wings I may use points or prongs 16 on the shaft 17 and provide said shaft with the crank-arm 18 for the attachment of the operating-chains, this modification, which is illustrated in Fig. 4, being within the scope of my invention.

Having thus'described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by ters Patent, is-

what Let- 1. The combination with a mine-shaft hav ing a wood curbing and vertical guides on two opposite sides thereof, of a cage having channeled shoes on two opposite sides, to fit said guides, and safety-catches on the remaining two opposite sides of the cage and extending substantially the width thereof, and adapted to directly engage the shaft-curbing.

2. The combination with a shafthaving a curbing and having vertical guides arranged on two opposite sides thereof, of a cage having channeled shoes on two opposite sides adapted to slidably embrace said guides, and safety-catches on the remaining two opposite sides of cage, said catches including oscillatory members extending substantially the width of the cage, and provided with points adapted to embed themselves in the curbing of the shaft, said members being spring-actu ated, and means connecting the members with the hauling-cable of the cage, whereby the members are held out of contact with the curbing when the hauling-cable is under tension.

3. The combination with a shaft having a curbing and vertical guides on two opposite sides thereof, of a cage having-means slidably engaging said guides, journaled wings extending across substantially the full width of two opposite sides of the cage and provided with points adapted to be embedded in the curbing, means connecting the wings with the hauling-cable, whereby said wings are held out of contact with the curbing and close to the cage, when the hauling-cable is under tension, and springs engaging the wings to automatically project them outwardly when the tension on the hauling-cable is released. 4. The combination with a shaft having vertical guides and a curbing composed of enetrable material, of a cage having means to slidably fit said guides, shafts extending substantially the width of two opposite sides of the cage, said sides being those which are disposed at right angles to the'sideswhich engage the guides, wings journaled on the shafts and provided with penetrating-points adapted to be embedded in the curbing, said wings having cran -arms extending from one end, chains connecting said crank-arms with the hauling-cable whereby the wings are folded close to the cage when the hauling-rope is under tension, and springs coiled on the shafts, each having one end bearing on the cage and the other end bearing under the wing to automatically project the wing into contact with the curbing when the tension is removed from the hauling-cable.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. ANDREW FLESHER. IVitnesses:

THOMAS L. CHENEY, ENGELBERT EACH. 

